Re: [Leica] X-ray

["Dan Post" <dwpost@email.msn.com>]

Martin-
Interestijng post, yours. Since I work in a minilab, and have occasion to
help folks out with suggestions, especially travelling, I was concerned to
hear that there are still some problems at major airports.
I had been advising folks to put their unexposed film in a large clear
plastic bag- but out of the plastic cans. I tell them the cans can be put in
checked luggage for later use, and that hand inspection, supposedly, is
available on request. Is this policy of 'zapping' film becoming more
prevalent, in your estimation?
Also- are UPS parcels x-rayed? It might be practical to UPS exposed film
home rather than carry it. I assume it would be relatively safe since they
have parcel tracking, but there remains the question of do they xray or not!
Dan
- -----Original Message-----
From: Martin Howard <marho@ikp.liu.se>
To: Leica User Group <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>
Date: Thursday, April 15, 1999 11:31 AM
Subject: [Leica] X-ray


>
>Yes, I know, this has probably been beaten to death, but I thought I'd
>still share some experiences from my recent trip to London.
>
>First off, I had the films in see-through plastic canisters in a trans-
>parent plastic bag.  In other words, it was plain to the eye that the
>bag contained films and nothing else.
>
>I politely requested that the films be hand inspected and explained that
>I would be travelling through different airports and wanted to avoid
>the film going through the x-ray machine.  Upon returning, I explained
>that it was fast film (400 ASA) and that it had been exposed.
>
>Dispite this, I was (rudely) refused hand inspection and the film was
>put through the x-ray machines anyway.  In Brussels, one inspector
>claimed that the films could be put through the machines 50 times with
>no ill effects.  I asked them if they guaranteed this and would refund
>any damage, which was simply ignored.
>
>(Flying is becoming a pain in the arse.  You get treated like cattle
>from
>the moment you step into the airport until the second you're out the
>other end.)
>
>What arguments do you present to ensure that your film gets inspected
>by hand and not shoved through the machines?  I haven't developed the
>film yet, so I don't know if any damage has occurred.
>
>
>M.
>
>--
>Martin Howard, Grad. Schl. for Human-Machine Interaction,  |
>HMI/IKP, Linkoping University, SE-581 83 Linkoping, Sweden.|    Just
>Tel: +46 13 28 5741; Fax: +46 28 2579; ICQ: 354739         | say "DOOH"
>E-mail: marho@ikp.liu.se; www.iav.ikp.liu.se/staff/marho/  +------------